Postharvest Quality of Parthenocarpic and Pollinated Cactus Pear [Opuntia ficus-indica L. (Mill)] Fruits.

Opuntia ficus-indica L. (Mill) belongs to the Cactaceae family. The plant produces edible and juicy fruits called cactus pear, recognized for their pleasant flavor and functional properties. However, the fruits have a short shelf life, hard seeds, and the presence of glochidia in the pericarpel. Recently, by inducing parthenocarpy, seedless fruits of cactus pear have been obtained. They have attractive colors, soft and small seminal residues, with a similar flavor to their original seeded counterparts. Nevertheless, their postharvest physiological behavior has not yet been documented. The aim of this study was to compare the biochemical, anatomical, and physiological characteristics of pollinated fruits, CP30 red and CP40 yellow varieties, with their parthenocarpic counterparts (CP30-P and CP40-P), obtained by the application of growth regulators in preanthesis. Fruits of each type were harvested at horticultural maturity, and analyses were carried out on both pulp and pericarpel (peel), using a completely randomized design. Results showed that red fruits CP30 and CP30-P showed higher concentrations of betacyanins in pulp (13.4 and 18.4 mg 100 g(-1) FW) and in pericarpel (25.9 and 24.1 mg 100 g(-1) FW), respectively; flavonoid content was significantly higher in partenocarpic fruits compared with the pollinated ones. Parthenocarpy mainly affected the shelf life, in pollinated fruits, CP30 was 14 days but 32 days in CP30-P; for CP40, it was 16 days, and 30 days in CP40-P. Also, the partenocarpic fruits were smaller but with a thicker pericarpel, and lower stomatal frequency. Overall, parthenocarpic fruits represent a viable alternative for commercial production due to their extended shelf life, lower weight loss, and soft but edible pericarpel.